Mess and Marvel

First off, I would like to thank all those who helped me get where I am now. I am so grateful for all of you who donated on my behalf and were able to help me raise enough money to enjoy this wonderful experience.

Laria and I on our way to training in Provo, UT!

Now, to the real adventure. The part where my mind is an absolute mess trying to get ready for Ukraine. This past weekend I went down to Provo for training with Laria Gainor, one of my good friends who is going with me. It was extremely helpful and stressful at the same time. I was able to meet some of the girls I am going to be teaching with and spending my next four months with and I was so relieved. It is such a wonderful bunch of girls--the kids whose lives we will be able to a part of are going to be blessed and in turn, I know I will become humbled.

We had time to visit the Mount Timpanogos Temple 

 And then there's ol' stressful me. I have just 2 weeks to get everything together! I am trying my best to keep my stress levels down and try to get everything packed and hopefully...fingers crossed...not forget anything. Worst fear though at this point? My luggage getting lost. But, I figure I have to release some of my stress and just hope for the best! Optimism is my best friend.






I  have also been racking my brain for a gift for my host family. Others who have gone before have told me that they really enjoy personal gifts and pictures of your family. So I have settled on giving them a piece of my photography framed. Took me a while but I finally decided on this picture I recently took off the coast of Alcatraz near San Francisco, CA.